


A Cunning Spirit

by turtleeden



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Gen, PeCoCreMo2019, also forgive me if i butcher any shogi terms, basically the most intense shogi matches ever, if it wasn't for a friend of mine and his longfic, listen though i would have never considered these two in any context, now i'm hooked 'cause this was interesting to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-25 23:31:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21364468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turtleeden/pseuds/turtleeden
Summary: Goro Akechi challenges Hifumi Togo to a few shogi matches to test his mettle against a prodigy. While she does accept his challenges, Hifumi notices something a little... strange about his playstyle, and it reveals a lot more about Akechi to her than any TV interview that he's been on.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Togo Hifumi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 52





	A Cunning Spirit

“You… want to challenge me to a shogi match?”

Hifumi was completely surprised, not expecting someone to challenge her out of the blue while she was waiting on an interview that her mother arranged for her. She definitely didn’t expect someone like Goro Akechi of all people to challenge her like this. He was an ace detective, was he not? And a famous one at that… surely he had his own matters to attend to, right? And yet he’s challenging her… to a shogi match…

Why?

“That’s not a problem, is it, Togo-san?” Akechi questioned, flashing her a polite smile. “I have heard a lot about your prodigal status on the news. I’m more of a chess player myself, so I would naturally be somewhat green at playing shogi. Even so, I believe testing my mettle against someone like you would be a worthwhile experience.”

“I see…” Hifumi trailed off, averting her gaze from him.

“So then, will you accept my challenge?” Akechi asked.

“...I’m very sorry. Normally I would welcome the chance to have a new shogi friend, but my… _manager_ said that I shouldn’t involve myself with unauthorized matches,” Hifumi said sadly, bowing her head deeply. She _really_ hated that her mother drilled these restrictive rules into her head when she’s managing her. “Forgive me for wasting your time.”

“Huh. That is a shame. I would’ve thought that my challenge would benefit the both of us, in a way.” Akechi lamented.

“...How?” Hifumi questioned, confused.

“As I mentioned, I believe that playing against such an esteemed shogi player would be a worthwhile experience for me. As for you… well, what would you have to lose playing against a novice like me? The worst that would happen to you is that you would see me play… rather embarrassingly, so I fear.”

“....” A ghost of a smile appeared on Hifumi’s lips as she shook her head. “...I’m sure that a renowned detective like yourself wouldn’t be embarrassing yourself at all.”

“Naturally I won’t try to embarrass myself, but I can’t rule out the possibility,” Akechi said, chuckling lightly. “Besides, you can also think of it as a way to kill some time. I noticed that you’ve been waiting for a while to do your scheduled interview. So really, we would both gain satisfaction from my little challenge. I get the experience, and you get to amuse yourself.”

“Oh…” Hifumi had to admit, Akechi was being _very_ persuasive right now. “And… what about you, Akechi-kun? You are currently free from previous commitments, yes?”

“Of course.” Akechi answered easily. “While you’ve been waiting on your interview, I’ve just finished wrapping mine up. And I’ve still got a little bit of time to myself before I would head off to the police station to assist in some cases. So please, don’t worry on my account.”

“....” The smile upon Hifumi’s face grew into something more tangible. It was small, but it was a genuinely grateful smile. She nodded at him as she took out the folded shogi board that was in her school bag. “Very well, then I accept your challenge, Akechi-kun. We’ll play a quick game. Twenty seconds per move. Is that acceptable?”

“I will accept those terms.” Akechi agreed, smiling pleasantly. “I’m looking forward to this match.”

“Then… allow me to set up the board. And we shall begin.”

\-----

Goro Akechi was a novice at shogi, but… he doesn’t play like one.

If Hifumi could explain what she felt with words, Akechi had… a cunning playstyle. It took him a moment to get the hang of the rules and the movements of the pieces, but once he had a handle on those things, it’s like a switch had been turned on. There would be a moment where he would place his pieces in a strategic spot to attack her army. And there would be another moment where he would capture her pieces with little hesitation. It was not like how a true novice would just take the closest piece when the opportunity arose. No… Akechi’s method of attack had more thought put into it. If this was how a novice played, Hifumi couldn’t imagine how it would be if he ever went pro. Despite his overly-friendly persona on TV, Goro Akechi had a cunning spirit that made him almost… fearsome to face.

But he was still a novice, Hifumi could see that.

“How am I doing, Togo-san?” Akechi asked, wearing a smile that seemed a bit too bright. “My experience with chess has been aiding me somewhat, but I believe that I’m doing quite well against you.”

“It isn’t wise to speak so soon before the battle ends,” Hifumi pointed out, narrowing her eyes sharply. “You defend yourself well against the dragon that rises in the east, and yet you neglect your king’s guard against a stampede of horses. Inexperience becomes you.”

Hifumi then picked up her bishop piece and snapped it against the board, using it to capture Akechi’s Gold General. With that piece out of the way, Akechi’s King Piece is left at the mercy of Hifumi’s carefully placed army.

“Checkmate.” Hifumi stated.

“...Ah. So it is.” Akechi mused, looking at the board with an intrigued expression. He then bowed deeply to her, placing his hand on his chest as he did so. “I concede.”

Hifumi bowed to him in return, calming herself from her notorious playing habit. The two of them rose back up and faced each other, and Hifumi began to speak.

“You picked up on the game quickly, Akechi-kun.” she complemented. “Your playing level is rather… high for someone who is a novice to shogi.”

“That’s high praise, coming from a prodigy like yourself.” Akechi said, flashing a pleasant smile at her. “But again, I believe that my previous experience with chess has aided me in adjusting to shogi. Clearly I still have much to learn if I’m to do this again.”

“...Again?” Hifumi repeated, blinking in surprise.

“Of course. I actually enjoyed our match, Togo-san. And I feel like I’ve learned something new when I was playing against you. I would be happy to challenge you again, if the opportunity arises.” Akechi said. “However, I don’t intend to lose the next time we should face each other. I’ll be sure to study shogi in my spare time, so that I could fare better even against a young prodigy like yourself.”

“Are you proclaiming yourself as my rival now, Akechi-kun?” Hifumi questioned.

“Oh, no. I wouldn’t go that far,” Akechi laughed, shaking his head. “I may not look it, but I actually hate to lose. I can learn from my losses, of course, so long as I prevent another one from happening again.”

“....” Hifumi blinked at his words. Perhaps she could chalk it up to Akechi apparently being competitive, as he put it, but… somehow she sensed something a little unsettling about the way he said it. She was unsure of why that is. His voice was as light and pleasant as ever, so it couldn’t be his tone of voice alone that made her senses go off. Perhaps she could figure it out when they have that hypothetical rematch. After all… you could learn a lot about a person from their strategies. At least, that’s what they say in the olden days. Perhaps through shogi, she could learn some things about Goro Akechi that people couldn’t learn through television alone.

“...Very well, Akechi-kun. I will be awaiting our rematch.” she said.

“Wonderful. For now, I must take my leave. Thank you for the match today.” Akechi thanked. He then rose up from his seat and headed down the hall to exit the building. Hifumi simply watched him go on his way until he was out of her sight.

“You are a curious man, Goro Akechi.” Hifumi murmured to herself.

\-----

“Ah, what a coincidence. So we meet again, Togo-san.”

Hifumi lifted her head up to see Goro Akechi standing nearby, wearing his usual friendly smile as he watched her practice her shogi moves. She took the time to find a table to sit near the Jinbocho bookstore so that she could practice the strategies she was studying. But she didn’t expect someone to walk up to her… much less someone like Akechi. She greeted him with a small smile of her own, but Hifumi couldn’t hide her obvious surprise.

“A coincidence indeed… I didn’t know that you frequent Jinbocho.” she said.

“I simply dropped by to check out some books on a whim, nothing more,” Akechi said nonchalantly. “I could say the same about you, Togo-san. Although… given the vast selections of strategy books here in this famous bookstore, I suppose that it’s not a big surprise to see you here.”

“Perhaps not…” Hifumi commented, closing her eyes for a moment. “Sometimes I need inspiration to practice new shogi moves, and reading upon different strategies can help with that.”

“As expected of a shogi prodigy. You’re quite diligent in your craft.” Akechi complimented.

“There’s also… Well, I’ve made a new shogi friend recently.” Hifumi mentioned, smiling a little at the thought of this person. “I do not wish to let him down by slacking on my skills, especially since he wanted to learn from me.”

“Oh? By chance, are you talking about me?” Akechi inquired, smiling pleasantly at her.

“H-Huh? Well, no… I’m talking about a different person,” Hifumi answered, shaking her head. “Besides, it’s been a while since our last match, Akechi-kun. With how busy you must be as of late, what with all the press you’ve been getting, I would have assumed you would’ve forgotten about it a long time ago.”

“I hardly forget anything that would interest me,” Akechi said, shaking his head slowly. “Why, I even studied a bit about shogi practices in my spare time in the hopes that I could utilize them against you.”

Hifumi blinked in surprise again. She… did not expect him to say that.

“So then, you were serious about that rematch.” she said.

“I was,” Akechi said, nodding firmly. “With that in mind, I would like to challenge you once more, Togo-san. Would you mind if I take a seat here?”

“I don’t mind, but… are you certain?” Hifumi asked. “As I said before, your work must keep you busy… I don’t wish to keep you if you have previous engagements.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. I don’t have anywhere I need to be as of yet,” Akechi assured, sitting down at the seat across from her. “Besides… choosing to sit down at a place where I’m actually welcome is a luxury that I don’t feel as often anymore. And I can make good on my long-awaited promise to beat you in a match. I believe that I’m certain of this, Togo-san.”

“....” 

It took a moment for Hifumi to fully absorb Akechi’s statement. A small part of her could relate to what he said… choosing to be at a place where there is no judgement from others. For her… it was the church in Kanda. If that place, where she was allowed to practice shogi as much as she pleased, didn’t exist, then Hifumi could hardly imagine being welcome anywhere else. So for Akechi to say something like that being a luxury… Hifumi understood that.

At the same time… she would once again be privy to that cunning playstyle of his. Even now, recalling how Akechi played shogi was a striking memory in her mind. Her new friend had a gambler’s spirit, ready and willing to take risks, but Akechi... his style was unique to him… that raw, aggressive, yet meticulous playstyle. It greatly betrayed his usual pleasant demeanor that he is well known for. When they played each other back then… Goro Akechi was a novice. Hifumi could hardly imagine what his playing level would be like now.

….

There’s only one way to find out.

“Allow me to set up the board, and we shall begin.”

\-----

...How fearsome.

When he had an idea about what he was doing… Goro Akechi was a fearsome opponent.

This match was an unexpected battle of wits. She could tell that Akechi studied shogi strategy thoroughly since their last match. His placement of the pieces greatly improved, and he was relentless in his assault. He was aggressive as he mercilessly captured her soldiers and kept her kingdom shifting between defense and a well-timed offense. If Hifumi had faltered, even for a moment, then she would’ve been in dire straits.

The two of them were entangled in a constant dance of defense and offense. If she couldn’t find a solution soon, the two of them would be at an impasse… Hifumi did not want that to be the end result. She frowned to herself as she stared at the board, looking for a way to turn this match in her favor. She glanced at every corner, every space and every piece that she could use at the moment… until finally, she found it.

Using the use of both her promoted pieces and her regular ones, Hifumi was able to circumvent Akechi’s assault and get to his king. By the time Akechi realized what Hifumi did, it was too late for him to turn around and get to her most critical pieces at that moment. Hifumi lifted her piece and snapped it against the board, leaving Akechi’s king trapped between her carefully placed soldiers with no means of escape.

“Checkmate.” she stated.

“....” Akechi was silent as he stared at the board, trying to understand where he failed this time. Eventually he closed his eyes for a moment before he bowed his head to her. “I concede.”

Hifumi bowed to him in return, allowing herself to relax a little… but, Akechi’s playing style left a stronger impression on her than before.

“...You’ve improved.” she complimented.

“I haven’t improved enough to beat you in a match, but I’ll happily take that compliment,” Akechi replied, before sighing a little. “It’s a shame, though… I thought I had you a few times there.”

“...You would have, had I been slacking on my defense even for a moment. You’re a fearsome opponent, Akechi-kun.” Hifumi said.

“Fearsome? Haha, I don’t know about that…” Akechi laughed, waving the comment off. “After all, I’m but a novice in shogi.”

“Even so… the way you had manipulated the board… You could turn a battlefield into hell itself if you wanted to, and you’d know several ways to do it. That’s why I said you were fearsome,” Hifumi explained. “...You would even be more terrifying if you ever went pro.”

“Hmm… Interesting analogy, Togo-san,” Akechi mused, putting a gloved finger to his chin. “Luckily for the shogi world, I have little time to partake in matches longer than the ones we have. So I guess we could say that your world is safe from my supposed wrath, hm?”

“I… I suppose so.” Hifumi replied, nodding slowly. Oddly enough, she felt a little… ill at ease. She figured that what he just said was supposed to be taken as a joke, but… knowing how he played a game such as this, Hifumi wasn’t completely sure if Akechi was joking or serious.

“Well… that’s two losses against a shogi prodigy. Perhaps I shouldn’t press my luck any further. It’ll save me the obvious humiliation,” Akechi said, chuckling under his breath as he rose up from his seat. “And yet, despite my losses, I enjoyed our little battle of wits. It’s not everyday that I get to do a fun activity that’s remotely simulating as this. I really only do this with one other person through chess, and through that… we are on equal ground. Shogi is a game that I’m less familiar with, but I enjoyed the experience despite my disadvantage.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Hifumi said, smiling a little. Despite the slight discomfort she felt deep down, Hifumi was glad that Akechi was able to find some enjoyment in playing shogi. She couldn’t help but feel a little elated whenever someone enjoyed a game that she loved.

“If possible, I would like to challenge you one more time, Togo-san. Maybe not now, but… somewhere in the near future.” Akechi said.

“Another match? You’re more stubborn than you look, Akechi-kun.” Hifumi pointed out.

“Maybe. I can’t deny my slight competitive streak over things like this.” Akechi replied, smiling pleasantly as he idly scratched his cheek.

“So you say,” Hifumi said, already moving to clean up her shogi board. “Regardless, if you wish to challenge me once more… then I shall be awaiting your rematch. I will take note of your improvement, but don’t think that I will be standing idly by. I have a desire to improve myself as well.”

“Duly noted. Until we meet again.” Akechi said, bidding her farewell. Hifumi waved goodbye as she watched him go off into the main street. Once he was out of her sight… she sighed deeply as she toyed with a stray general piece that was still on the board, reflecting upon the match they just had.

“The things that he says sometimes…” Hifumi murmured to herself. “And yet…”

\----- 

Their last match took place within the Asakusa Sky Tower.

Both Hifumi and Akechi were there for different reasons. Hifumi was scheduled for a certain photoshoot taking place there, and Akechi was giving yet another interview for the press. Despite their different schedules, they managed to cross paths with each other once more.

“Ah, there’s a familiar face,” Akechi mused, wearing a friendly smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Togo-san.”

“Nor I you, Akechi-kun. It has been a while.” Hifumi said, bowing her head.

“I hear that people have been talking about you lately. What was that tagline that they’ve been calling you now? The ‘Venus of Shogi’?”

Ugh, that tagline… Hifumi couldn’t help but grimace at the thought of it. “...Yes. I… just came from doing the photoshoot for that.” she said lowly.

“Not a fan, hm?” Akechi asked, chuckling under his breath.

“If I were to be completely honest, no.” Hifumi admitted, shaking her head. “I don’t understand how you can look so at ease with all of the fanfare that the media gives. I’ve seen you on TV countless times, and you always seem to just be one with the camera… almost as if you bask in the attention it gives you.”

“Well, that’s certainly one way of putting it. Most of it is just media promotion and staging anyway.” Akechi said simply, shrugging his shoulders. “If I look at ease, it’s because I know that it’s what people wish to see from me. To do the things that I wish to accomplish, I simply just play along with what I’m given. If I look as though I’m enjoying myself… well, that’s all the better, wouldn’t you say? I certainly wouldn’t want to put up with something I hate while I’m doing what I feel that I need to do.”

“...I suppose that’s true.” Hifumi said, averting her gaze for a moment. Akechi’s point of view was… interesting. She wouldn’t have thought of portraying herself that way in order to work with the media and deal with fame. Perhaps it’s because she would rather be herself if she were to be seen by thousands. Not as the so-called ‘Venus of Shogi’, but as the shogi player she really was. Hifumi quietly wondered to herself if Akechi enjoyed it because he actually enjoyed playing along with what he was given, or if it was simply because that regardless of what he does, he could be seen as the detective he really was.

She doesn’t voice that idle musing to him.

“While we are both here, do you have time to partake in our awaited rematch?” Akechi asked, changing the subject. “I won’t press you if you are busy, Togo-san. But if possible… I would like to get this out of the way while I still have the time.”

“I have the time, but… why the rush, Akechi-kun?” Hifumi asked, staring at him for a moment. “I’m aware that you’ve been on high demand lately concerning your views on the Phantom Thieves, but…”

“I have a feeling that I’m going to be very busy during the fall. Everything that I’ve been working towards... will be coming together at that time,” Akechi mentioned, turning his head towards the windows overlooking the city. Hifumi couldn’t help but notice that Akechi had a thoughtful look upon his face as he stared out towards the skyline. It made his words seem… heavier, in a sense. “So before then, I would like to tie up any loose ends before I commit myself fully to the case I’m working on.”

“...I see.”

“Togo-san, our meetings in the past have always been very brief, and our shogi matches have been… an experience for me in particular, but I cannot guarantee that we’ll always have these chance encounters and quick matches. As such, I would like to make the most of this encounter while I still have the chance.” Akechi then turned his head back towards Hifumi and flashed a pleasant smile at her, as if he didn’t just say those things about tying up loose ends and making the most out of the moment. 

“With that in mind, would you accept my final challenge? In exchange, I promise to make it exciting for the both of us.” he said, his tone notably lighter than before.

“Ah…” Hifumi was stunned. She was unable to form a suitable reply after hearing what he just said, and she was surprised at how quickly he seemed to bounce back to his usual friendly self at that moment. Almost as if he was completely unaffected by it. How strange… did that ability come with the job of being a detective? Or was that simply who he is? Hifumi didn’t know the answer, and she wasn’t sure that it was her place to know. Most of what she knew about Goro Akechi was through their brief encounters… namely through their shogi matches where Akechi could display a more cunning side to himself. Otherwise, she didn’t truly know him. She was simply a stranger looking in.

But if this latest challenge was to be the last match that these two would have, then Hifumi would accept and face this hidden side of him head on.

After all, what did she have to lose?

“There’s an empty spot in one of the tables over there,” Hifumi said, glancing over at their chosen battlefield. “...Shall we?”

“After you.”

\-----

Their match was a constant tug-of-war.

Akechi had improved… once again. This time around it was easier for him to keep Hifumi on her toes. His placement of the pieces was well-thought out, his failsafes were in place, and his offense, as usual, was relentless. Hifumi could feel herself sweating a little as she played defense for a while, but Akechi’s assault didn’t completely scare her out of her wits. She had improved as well… and Hifumi Togo would never let her kingdom go down without a fight. The two of them were embroiled in an intense match that was filled with so many skillful plays that it would make commentators get excited. They were constantly out-maneuvering each other through capturing their key pieces back and forth, and thoughtful placement of other pieces that would suddenly put one in check, causing them to be thrown off of their current strategy. Both of them sat there at the table, completely absorbed in their match. No one would dare disturb the two of them while their battle raged on.

After some time… Hifumi gained the advantage in the match. Her support system was well-crafted on her side as she went on the offensive. Akechi was left on the defensive, which Hifumi noticed was one of his weaknesses in this game. His offense was ruthless, almost overpowering and his manipulation of the pieces was skillful enough to have him avoid being put on the defensive, but when he is actually on the defensive, he’s notably weaker in that regard. As meticulous as he was about his placement, he failed to actually have a strong support as a defense. And that would prove to be his downfall.

“We are drawing close to the end of this bloody battle. I shall release this ultimate attack!” Hifumi bellowed, looking determined as she picked up her silver general piece. “Come, Silver Moonlight Strike!”

_Snap!_

“Check.”

“Kch…” Akechi narrowed his eyes as he looked upon the board, noticing the dilemma that he was in. Sure… he could capture said piece and get everything out of the way, but what Akechi noticed was that Hifumi had structured her pieces in a way where she could employ backup if needed. No matter how many pieces he would hypothetically capture, Hifumi could simply capture him back depending on which piece she used. Not to mention that she had a well-organized group of pieces on the other side of the board, effectively blocking his king’s way to safety. Hifumi’s army was well-supported, while Akechi’s army was more scattered. And he would effectively be stuck in an endless loop of pain and frustration for his army… He would be stuck if he chose to be stubborn, unless he does one simple thing. After weighing his current options, Akechi reluctantly bowed his head down.

“...I concede.”

“....”

Hifumi bowed to Akechi in return, acknowledging his surrender. She calmed herself down from her usual theatrical habit, and Akechi in turn rose up from his seat, sighing to himself. The two of them were silent for a while, quietly reflecting on the match in order to remember what went right and what went wrong. Eventually, Akechi took a deep breath… and chuckled quietly to himself.

“Three strikes and I’m out, it seems,” he laughed, shaking his head again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m aware that it’s the wrong analogy, but nonetheless, it shows that I’m really no match against a shogi prodigy.”

“...I wouldn’t sell yourself short, Akechi-kun. I’ve met very few people who have improved at the rate that you have,” Hifumi assured, acknowledging his improvement. “Not even my shogi friend has improved as fast as you have… and that is no small feat, considering that he has improved a lot since we first started playing together.”

“I will take that praise gladly, Togo-san.” Akechi replied, smiling a little. “This was… a thrilling conclusion to my set of challenges, wouldn’t you say?”

“...You are a fearsome opponent, Goro Akechi,” Hifumi said, nodding at him. “I would say that these matches have left a strong impression in my mind. They revealed things about you that one could hardly say through words. For that alone… I consider this a unique experience.”

“I hope that I didn’t reveal too much,” Akechi laughed, scratching his cheek. “People do love a good mystery, after all.”

“...You needn’t worry about that.” Hifumi replied, shaking her head.

“Good. Rest assured, I won’t challenge you to matches anymore. Duties aside, I know when I’m beaten. Better to stick with chess, I suppose,” Akechi said. He bent down to pick up the suitcase that was laying beside his chair, and started to go on his way. But before he went too far, Akechi turned his head towards Hifumi and smiled pleasantly. The smile came easily, despite his clear disappointment over the results of the match.

“Good luck in your endeavors, Togo-san.” he said.

Hifumi smiled politely as she bowed her head towards him. “And you as well, Akechi-kun. Goodbye.”

With that final goodbye, Goro Akechi walked away from her for good.

Hifumi turned her attention towards the shogi board, which she had yet to clean up. She got up from her seat and went over to sit at Akechi’s spot, wanting to see how things looked from his side. She winced as she saw the scattered pieces, imagining the soldiers in his army being in pain as they fought against her kingdom. For a moment, Hifumi feared that she was pushing her precious pieces to the limit… but clearly she didn’t push it nearly enough as Akechi did.

“I wonder if he was aware of his weakness in this game…” Hifumi murmured to herself, resting her finger against Akechi’s king piece. Perhaps he was aware of that weakness of his… which was why he conceded in the first place. Perhaps he just saw no point in dragging the match out longer than necessary, especially when they were constantly going back and forth. Hifumi could think of the possibilities all she wanted, but… she figured that she’ll never get a clear answer. At least, not concerning him.

Goro Akechi was an enigma with a cunning spirit. And he would forever be a mystery to her.


End file.
